“You Are Not the Victim Here”

Conspirituality and the Framing of Evangelical Patriarchy as a Victim of #ChurchToo Disruption

July 21, 2024

Abstract: The term “Church Too” not only echoes “#MeToo” but implies a rebuttal against American evangelicalism’s authoritative and longstanding argument of the church existing as a safe and divinized place and the churchgoer positioned within a secure environment – unable to be a part of a sexual assault experience. In other words, abuse happens in “Church Too.” In this piece, we argue that churches’ rhetorical responses to the #ChurchToo movement should be understood as part of evangelicalism’s ongoing perception of being under attack from feminism. They are, therefore, victims in the culture war, in which “ChurchToo” becomes yet another battle to be fought, with the church taking defense. Consequently, evangelicalism’s defense narratives use strategies of conspirituality, narratives of disruption, and the victimhood enthymeme. As a result, we argue scholars must consider these rhetorical strategies to understand how the ideology of victimhood is both deeply embedded and an exceedingly powerful vision of reality, within white American evangelicalism.